Hollywood made a ton of money this year and a lot of ground was covered, cinematically. 2014 was a year marked by actors giving performances that were far more than what we expected. David Oyelowo, Nicolas Cage, Carmen Ejogo, Tom Cruise, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Oprah Winfrey of all people are some of the stand-outs who exposed skills that few were aware they possessed. The stories ranged from Ancient Greece to World War II to the distant future. To be honest, there were too many choices. Here's the cream of the crop. Don't worry. There are no spoilers or detailed plot summaries here to ruin it for you -- just explanations as to what makes these films so good.
Honorable Mention: Meet the Firm: Revenge in Rio
Honorable Mention: G*dzilla Trailer
14. The Lego Movie
The studio pitch for The LEGO Movie could've been, "Robot Chicken, but limited to LEGOs and rated for kids."Without a doubt, Chris Pratt's best work on the big screen in 2014 and Will Ferrell's best family film since 2010's Megamind (2005's Kicking & Screaming was pretty good too), The LEGO Movie is further evidence that toy-based movies don't have to be brainless (take notes Michael Bay). Ironically, the movie's hero, Emmett, is in fact somewhat brainless, as well he should be as LEGO is an obviousThe Matrix-inspired satire, what with it's: older, wise African-Americanmentor; "chosen one" prophecy; highly skilled and acrobatic love interest; robotic law enforcement henchmen; a control freak villain obsessed with order; an underground resistance movement; imagination-based "super powers"; and dual planes of existence.
The beauty of the movie is that it doesn't depend on the usual terms that professional critics like to throw around ad nauseum but that moviegoers could care less about, such as: narrative, story arc and final act, etc. The source of the story (those who've seen the movie know what I mean) even serves to immunize it somewhat from the usual reason for critical derision - cliches. Be warned -- there are sentimental scenes, but just when the film veers perilously close to maudlin schmaltz, the laughs keep coming. Some of the humor stems from the satirical jabs the movie takes at - well, nearly everything - from adventure story archetypes to Big Government to corporate branding to police drama stereotypes to mindless sitcoms to superheroes to Peter Jackson movies to Lego fanatics. Though the screenplaymay have caused the studio heads (and the toy company execs for that matter) to see dollar signs, the execution seems to have been a labor of love for the filmmakers. There is so much fine attention to detail that at least two viewings are required to take it all in.
Like most animated features, LEGO is brimming with celebrities and while there are a few voices that you probably won't recognize until you read the credits (especially Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill), directors Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Chris McKay (director of Robot Chicken) make much, much better use of cameos than last year's Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. Yep, that really is Shaq, Billy Dee Williams and Liam Neeson. Morgan Freeman, in a pretty sizable and key role, delivers one of the funniest performances of his career.
As difficult as it appears the animation was for the filmmakers to achieve, the crux of the movie seems to be as simple as thinking back to childhood. However, unlike the vast majority of films that employ CGI, LEGO's distinct look may in fact inoculate it against obsolescence for quite some time.
What Lego does most effectively is to convey the all-encompassing aura of creativity and other-worldliness generated when playing with toys. It's a testament to the movie's drawing power that the collateral spike in the brand's popularity led to a shortage of toy products seven months after it's release.
13. The Drop
12. Blame it on the Streets
11. Whiplash
Andrew Neiman's greatest desire is to be somebody in the world of jazz. The first step towards achieving his goal is attending Shaffer Conservatory -- a highly esteemed music college in New York City. After renowned conductor Terence Fletcher invites him to join his studio band, however, Andrew's dream becomes a living nightmare. He soon learns that Fletcher's teaching-style -- which includes verbal and physical abuse, threats and intimidation -- may be more than he can bear. Fletcher has, in fact, driven several of his students to tears and one to suicide.
10. Interstellar
When Interstellar was released, several reviewers compared it to 2001: A Space Odyssey. While 2001 was the more philosophical of the two, Interstellar was more exciting. On top of that, TARS and CASE comprise the best robotic duo since R2D2 and C-3PO in the original Star Wars trilogy (their inclusion in the prequels was one of the many, many bad judgment calls concerning the first three episodes).
9. 300: Rise of an Empire
The long-awaited Rise of an Empire was seemingly willed into existence by popular demand following the runaway popularity of 300 (which, not insignificantly, received a standing ovation at it's premiere), which is arguably director Zack Snyder's best film. As everyone who's seen the first film is aware, 300 is a story of martyrdom and self-sacrifice as all but one of the good guys is killed by the end. New director Naom Murro and still-screenwriter Snyder solve the dilemma of crafting a sequel to a film about the slaughter of it's heroes by setting the story (loosely based on historical events) after, before and during the events of the first movie. Naturally, new characters are introduced, but many return from the original as well. While 300 focused on Spartan foot soldiers on land, Rise explores the naval battles waged by their fellow Greeks that took place at around the same time.
The action centers around the conflict between the Greek forces led by the Athenian general Themistocles and the Persian invaders, in part led by Artemisia I of Caria, who was a real naval commander under orders from King Xerxes I. The plan was for a Greek coalition led by Themistocles to repel the Persian invasion at sea at the Straits of Artemisium while a Greek infantry led by King Leonidas I of Sparta held them off at the pass of Thermopylae long enough for reinforcements to arrive. The movie depicts exaggerated and fictionalized versions (especially some over-the-top and absurd scenes involving the perennially nude Eva Green who adds to her unclothed filmography here) of the historical Battle of Marathon, the Battle of Artemisium and the Battle of Salamis in 490 and 480 BC.
Like it's predecessor, which is also based on a graphic novel (an unreleased one in the case of Rise) Rise of an Empire has an R-rating, which allows for more on-screen gore, sex and other relatively more mature content. Unlike the 300s, most comics-derived fare is rated for teens, and as a result unnecessarily talks down to nearly every segment of the audience, while simultaneously failing to overcome the inherent silliness of the subject matter (notable exceptions include the Dark Knight trilogy). Rise also retains the graphic novel-style visual aesthetic and surreal fantasy elements of the original.
Considerable criticism has been aimed at Rise for not living up to the original. The fact is that it's not exactly the same story, but neither is it a forced follow-up patched together in a rush by a dozen screenwriters. 300's premise is unique and inherently more compelling simply because everybody kicks the bucket. Since it's based on a true story that involves many of the same people and events, Rise is less a sequel than the second half of the same story. Plus, the element of surprise is gone the second time around. 300 didn't look like anything else out there. If there were no 300, Rise of an Empire would be revolutionary.
8. Fury
Fury is the best of only fourtank films to be produced in the 21st century (if you don't count Fast & Furious 6). Like Saving Private Ryan, the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers and Enemy at the Gates, Fury perfectly captures the grittiness of the second world war. While it lacks the soul of Ryan and Brothers, fortunately it also lacks the contrived, love triangle melodrama of Enemy (the movie's love story appears nowhere in the non-fiction book on which the movie is based).
The film follows an American tank crew in 1945 Germany making it's way to Berlin during the last days of WWII. The title is derived from the nickname given to the tank (a M4A3E8 Sherman model) by the five men who have spent most of the war inside it. Not surprisingly, the film picks up on the male bondingamongst the squad but without forcing it or becoming sugary. The main thing that doesn't quite ring true here (besides some highly unlikely battle outcomes given the weaponry involved) is some preachy and hokey dialogue spouted by Brad Pitt's Staff Seargeant Don "Wardaddy" Collier about the meaning and effects of war.
The 134-minute running time belies the film's limited scope, but the restrained reach is a valid choice as it matches the claustrophobic confines of the tank, which comprise much of the crew's world. Fury appropriately pulls no punches in it's representation of the violence and carnage wrought by the Nazis' ill-conceived attempt at world domination. There are also glimpses of Germans living with the reality of their homeland being invaded. Not every war film manages to convey the cliche', "war is hell", but writer/director David Ayer leaves no doubt - which is the very reason the speechifying should've been left out. The visuals and tone get the message across. Pitt, Jon Bernthal, Shia LaBeouf and Jason Isaacs bring to life various veteran soldiers assigned to the U.S. Army's 66th Armored Regiment and invest in them a refreshing credibility. The performances combined with the overall atmosphere and exacting detail to the uniforms, equipment, etc. create the awe-inspiring authenticity which is Fury's greatest strength.
7. The Equalizer
The Equalizer is another example of Hollywood's penchant for mining old television shows in search of big screen material. In this case the conversion is a colossal upgrade. Denzel Washington replaces British actor Edward Woodward as vigilante Robert McCall, a former black ops commando (in the tv series it's implied that McCall is retired from the CIA) who decides to dispense sometimes lethal street justice to protect helpless inner-city residents from various types of criminals. The movie changes the setting from New York City to Boston and completely eliminates the allusions to James Bond. In the film McCall targets, and is targeted by, members of the Russian Bratva.
A common complaint of the film from professional critics is it's "lack of character development". The title character's intentional aura of mystery, however, is faithful to the CBS series (not to mention par for the course with government trained espionage agents/assassins). While his background is only partially revealed, some of McCall's personal quirks and tendencies do become apparent, such as his touch of OCD, his love of classic literature and his habit of using a stopwatch to time his assaults on criminals. Nothing wrong with trying to break your own record. Also, it's evident from the start that McCall doesn't see violence as the first and only option. He tries using his words. But, to quote Liam Neeson, he does have "a very particular set of skills."
Washington (who also serves as a producer) re-teams with director Antoine Fuqua for the first time since 2001's Training Day, which yielded a best actor Oscar for Denzel. What's funny is, The Equalizer bears an unmistakable resemblance to Man on Fire, a film Washington starred in 10 years prior. Fire also features Washington as a mysterious former CIA operative who acts as protector to a young blonde girl and embarks on a one-man mission of vengeance against the criminal organization that victimizes her - and along the way tortures someone in a car in order to get information as he works his way up the chain-of-command of said organization. #deepbreath
6. Cocaine Cowboys: Reloaded
In the summer of 2006, Cocaine Cowboys was released to limited theaters without much fanfare. When it was aired on Showtime a year later, it generated the highest ratings of any documentary in the network's 31 year history. The cable airings combined with the DVD release made it a cult-classic. The sequel, Cocaine Cowboys II: Hustlin' With the Godmother, was released two years after it's predecessor and featured a narrower focus. Since then, director Billy Corben has released several other projects, including an excellent documentary about the University of Miami football program during the 1980s and early 90s. Eight years after the release of the original, Corben turned his lens back to the even more violent side of southern Florida to deliver not another sequel, but a continuation of the film that shot his career into the stratosphere.
While the original Cocaine Cowboys featured news footage and interviews with journalists, law enforcement officials and convicted murderers detailing the transformation of Miami, Florida from a quiet, southern town into the murder capital of the U.S. during the 1980s, Cocaine Cowboys: Reloaded features just that -- more of the same, which in this case is a very good thing. Corben apparently had to make some tough decisions in the editing room. As refreshingly fast-paced as it is, it's doubtful that many people would wanna sit through a documentary longer than Cowboys' 116-minute running time. Generally speaking, Reloaded covers the same ground as it's namesake, but it never feels like a rehash. Composer Jan Hammer, who rose to fame as the creator of the score for Miami Vice (including it's chart-topping, Grammy Award-winning theme song), even returns to score the film. Many of the same interviewees reapper ,but they tell stories that were missing on the 1st go 'round. Like Hammer, they hit different notes this time.
Jorge "Rivi" Ayala, chief enforcer for Colombian drug trafficker Griselda Blanco, gives an account of multiple killings in which he was involved - sometimes as the actual triggerman. Blanco, incidentally, who was one of the subjects of Cowboys II, is estimated to have ordered over 200 murders before being shot to death in 2012. Miami native and son of an NFL player, Mickey Munday, is back to recount more of his days as a pilot and smuggler, his years as a fugitive and eventual capture by U.S. Marshals. Mark Wahlberg is in talks to portray flamboyant smuggler-turned-informant Jon Roberts in an upcoming film adaptation of the latter's autobiography, American Desperado. Roberts details his life of crime beginning with his arrest for kidnapping, to his time in Vietnam, to working with the Medellin Cartel and eventual drug trafficking conviction.
History can't be re-written of course (except in public school textbooks). Reloaded details the same era and drug wars that inspired the 1983 Scarface and the enormously popular television show, Miami Vice. But keep in mind, Scarface was so long that it required an intermission and Miami Vice aired for five seasons. The crime scene and autopsy photos in Reloaded are not for those with weak stomachs, but they bring home the grim realities of the drug trade like Tony Montana and Sonny Crockett never could.
5. Edge of Tomorrow
I gotta confess...when I saw the commercial for this movie I figured I'd skip it. I figured it would just be Tom Cruise going through the motions in a dumb, big-budget, glossy attempt to keep up with all the superhero flicks. I was so wrong I ended up going to see it twice. Tom Cruise's third alien invasion movie (and the only one without an assist from Morgan Freeman)is also his best. Edge of Tomorrow surpasses both 2005's critically-embraced (but audience-panned) War of the Worlds and 2013's excellent Oblivion. While Worlds mainly focused on the civilian flight from the aliens and Oblivion concerned itself with the aftermath of the invasion, Edge is all about the military's role during the war against the invaders. This film also provides much more information about, and glimpses of, the off-worlders.
The heavy and detailed emphasis on the military makes it perhaps the best futuristic war movie of all time (The Empire Strikes Back is set "long, long ago", FYI). The film contains an amusing nod to another memorable sci-fi movie featuring the military as well. I'm not gonna spoil it by telling you which one. There is a significant amount of attention paid to combat training -- which is not at all customary for sci-fi war films. In this aspect, Edge is rivaled only by Starship Troopers and Edge is a far superior movie. Make no mistake, it is indeed a war movie, complete with Marine culture, scuffed up, tangible-looking high-tech weaponry and it has what could be described as the futuristic version of the opening of Saving Private Ryan. The most distinctive pieces of equipment featured in the film are the various exoskeleton battle suits utilized by the infantry in combat. Incidentally, such suits may not be science fiction for long as real life prototypes for similar types of apparatuses have been recorded as producing such results as lifting more than 200 lbs for the person donning it and walking at least one mile on a full charge.
The performances far exceed expectations as both recognizable faces and otherwise among the cast all manage to wholly disappear into their respective roles. Cruise in particular eschews his usual cocky, sometimes selfless, hotshot onscreen persona in favor of the complete opposite in order to render the cowardly and selfish Major William Cage. Displaying far more talent than is expected in a sci-fi action flick, Cruise really does seem like he's scared shitless and desperate to save his own skin when everything goes to hell. This isn't just "Tom Cruise in a battle suit". He's doing some acting here. Edge of Tomorrow is adapted from a 2004 Japanese novel entitled, "All You Need is Kill", which itself was partly inspired by the author's experience playing video games.
4. The Battle of the Five Armies
The final Hobbit movie (and 2nd-highest grossing film of 2014 worldwide) boasts a refreshingly dark and mostly serious tone (there is one jarringly out-of-place and embarrassingly cheesy joke late in the film - not one person in the theater laughed), which is in stark contrast to most of the goings-on in the previous two installments of the trilogy. I only liked the scenes involving the dragon in the first two movies (which amounted to much less than half of the running time in both cases), so suffice it to say my appreciation of this film was something of a revelation. In scope, sincerity, excitement and maturity The Battle of the Five Armies is actually more on par with the decade-old The Lord of the Rings trilogy than the Hobbit trilogy to which it belongs.
The Five Armies picks up precisely where last year's The Desolation of Smaug ended: with the dragon Smaug leaving the Lonely Mountain after decades of occupation in order to exact retribution for Bilbo and the Dwarves' attempt to reclaim the treasure that he strong-armed from Thorin Oakenshield's royal grandfather long ago.
Director and co-writer Peter Jackson has received criticism for ultimately deciding to film a trilogy instead of the two-part series that he originally envisioned, the argument being that author J.R.R. Tolkien only devoted a small part of the book to the titular battle -- which is not enough to warrant so much time onscreen. Those who take this position overlook the fact that film is a VISUAL medium, which lends itself to action sequences (such as battles) much more readily than do books. Reading about a fight pales in comparison to watching one. Which is not to say that Five Armies doesn't have it's quiet moments. Funny enough, the one piece of the Hobbit collection named after an involved battle features the most introspection. As great as the Rings trilogy is, Bilbo, Thorin and the others face much more dire consequences and higher stakes in Five Armies than Frodo and the members of this fellowship in those films.
Be sure to be on time at the theater. Not only does the Middle Earth saga go out with quite a bang, the final film begins with one as well.
3. The Winter Soldier
When I saw the Superbowl ad for this movie I had zero interest in seeing it...ever. Not even on blu-ray or Netflix. It came across as completely corny in that commercial. The release of Iron Man 3 followed by Thor: The Dark World the year before seemed to signal a downward spiral for the quality of Marvel movies and the sight of Scarlett Johannson's bright, Kool-Aid red wig and Samuel Jackson's Matrix-wannabe leather trench coat just seemed like more of the same. By the way, none of the posters were any better. The revelation that the Falcon was in the film wasn't welcome news either. Sidekicks and characters with wings are usually massive red flags letting you know you're about to see something that sucks donkey nuts. I wondered if history was repeating itself like when 1989's Batman eventually devolved into Batman and Robin...or when Superman descended into Superman IV...The Empire Strikes Back begat Attack of the Clones...and on and on and on.As entertaining as The Avengers is, the truth is Captain America hadn't added much to the thrills. In fact, his goofy costume with the red pirate boots was one of the liabilities. Whose decision was it to put him back in the outfit that he himself (and everyone else) ridiculed in his first solo movie? I get it. It's his signature costume from the comic book, but Captain America: The First Avenger's director, Joe Johnston, wisely realized that it was impossible for that suit to be taken seriously in a live-action, real world setting.
Eventually, two things convinced me to give it a shot. First, I saw a trailer with an uncharacteristic somber tone that contained a single shot of Cap standing over about a dozen bodies. Second, the word-of-mouth was not just overwhelming, it was thoroughly positive. Everyone that I talked to gave it an enthusiastic recommendation. A female friend told me she'd gone to see it three times already and didn't mind seeing it again. At this point I still wasn't convinced. Hell, some people just like action, no matter how terrible the movie is. But I was curious.
From the very beginning it's evident that Winter Soldier is an entirely different movie than Marvel's previous offerings. The most striking disparity is between this film and the first Cap adventure. The sequel isn't a merely a departure. It belongs to another genre altogether. The First Avenger was a light-hearted, good vs. evil, period war movie about a superhero. Winter Soldier is a mostly sober conspiracy thriller loaded with paranoia, suspense, timely concern about government overreach, global surveillance, spies, assassins and shades of grey. According to the filmmakers, there was also a reassuring reliance on practical stunts and special effects and less dependence on CGI whenever possible. Luckily, somebody wised up and replaced the stupid blue lasers with bullets. There are no traces of mystical energy sources and no Nazis. Unlike in The Avengers, there are also no aliens, no Iron Man, no Thor, no Hulk, no Loki and best of all, no Hawkeye. Jackson's Nick Fury and Johannson's Black Widow do make appearances, however. This is the most grounded and mature Marvel movie so far but those two don't let you forget that this is based on a comic book when they're onscreen because neither one looks like they belong in the real world. Luckily, it's only the look that's distracting. They fit right in otherwise. But so far, neither of them is worthy of a solo movie. It seems like somebody overlooked some of the details somehow. Like, why the hell is BW's hair the same color as Ronald McDonald's? And why doesn't she at the very least put it in a ponytail when she goes on special ops missions? And as for Colonel Fury...why is he in all black leather when everyone around him is either in a uniform or a suit? Even in the office!?
Despite my reaction to the trailer, the Falcon's inclusion was a great decision. He's no more a sidekick than Black Widow is and wings are way, waay more realistic than Jackson's wardrobe. Incidentally, he is Captain America in the comics, as he's currently traded in the wings and taken over the costume, shield and duties from Steve Rogers. Aside from the costume, Chris Evans' Steve Rogers hasn't changed drastically. His hallmark sincerity and stoicism's still there but he's a little more suspicious of people's motives now and there's the suggestion that he's disenchanted with his role as a soldier in today's world. This only serves to broaden and deepen the character and Evans portrays the new depth perfectly. There are a ton of superhero movies out there and lots more are on the way. Honestly, most of them are a big waste of time and money. Only a handful of them are actually good. There's the Dark Knight trilogy, The Avengers, this movie, and then there's everything else. In that order. Winter Soldier is the 4th highest-grossing film in the U.S. for 2014 and 7th highest-grossing film of the year, worldwide. It might have been #1 if it'd had a better trailer director.
2. Starred Up
1. Selma
Selma is the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. film that got it right. And better than anyone could have hoped. Like previous non-documentary films featuring the civil rights leader, it's not about King. The title is appropriate because the focus of the film is the series of protest marches conducted in 1965 in Alabama in order to pressure lawmakers into legislating protection for the voting rights of African-Americans.
Selma feels legitimate. It's neither a sweeping, grandiose epic nor a melodramatic character study into the depths of a famous person's soul. It's a matter-of-fact depiction of events in the lives of history-making, celebrated men and women. In some cases, the film is a glimpse into the political beginnings of future elected officials. The film notes that Andrew Young was ultimately appointed UN Ambassador by President Carter after serving three terms in Congress, and was later twice-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986 and has served in Congress ever since. Hosea Williams went on to serve on the Atlanta City Council, Georgia General Assembly and Dekalb County Commission, one of the few Georgia politicians to ever be elected to seats in city, county and state government.
Several members of the cast have turned in their finest performances to date. Much has been made of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' (the organization that awards Oscars) failure to nominate David Oyelowo for Best Actor, and rightly so. Oyelowo, however, is not the only overlooked actor here. Carmen Ejogo manages to downright illuminate King's wife, Coretta.She does stand by her man, and in his shadow, but Ejogo shows us a three-dimensional person behind the solemn image that we know. Media-mogul Oprah Winfrey uncharacteristically, but wholly, disappears into her role as Annie Lee Cooper, who famously punched Selma Sheriff Jim Clark in the jaw in front of the Dallas County Courthouse in 1965. Rapper-turned-actor Common, whose track, "Glory", is nominated for Best Original Song at the 87th annual Academy Awards, is perhaps the biggest surprise. He was probably hired mostly because he bears an uncanny resemblance to the SCLC's Director of Direct Action and Director of Nonviolent Education James Bevel, who conceived the idea of marching from Selma, Alabama to the state capital, Montgomery. The rapper really has unexpectedly, if only this once, turned into an actor and fits in rather nicely with the professionals.
Selma ranks right up there with universally lauded biographical works such as Gandhi, Malcolm X, Coal Miner's Daughter, The Social Network and yes, even Patton.
Selma received a standing ovation when it premiered in Los Angeles. When I went to see it, the audience applauded when the film ended. Without exaggeration or hyperbole, Selma is simply - and unequivocally - the best film of the year.
The Most Overrated Movies of 2014
13. The Imitation Game 12. Snowpiercer 11. Under the Skin 10. Big Hero 6 9. Guardians of the Galaxy 8. 22 Jump Street 7. Maleficent 6. Into the Woods
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